When I was pregnant for the first time, I couldn’t believe how many lists I had going. Babies come with a lot of stuff! Even the seemingly simple “sleeping products” list was long—swaddles, sound machines, sleep sacks, humidifiers…
Of course, the biggest decision in this category was choosing the crib and crib mattress. When it came to the latter, I wanted the best organic crib mattress, obviously. In the end, it was all moot because we decided to co-sleep and so we got a co-sleeper instead of a crib. (The adult mattress I sleep on, btw, is the Soaring Heart. )
If you’re reading this guide you’re probably planning to use a crib, and I’m sure you want the best organic crib mattress that’s within your budget. I hope this guide will make crib mattress shopping a breeze. Let’s get to it!
A good organic mattress will lessen the chemicals in your house and improve indoor air quality. It’s also safer for the environment. So, look for certifications like Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). A GOTS certification on a mattress means that the entire manufacturing and distribution process is environmentally safe and socially responsible.
We considering the following brands to be the best organic crib mattresses on the market.
Best Stuff
Naturepedic – The Best Overall Organic Crib Mattress
Has been making organic mattresses for over 20 years. Founded by a grandfather when he couldn’t find a non-toxic mattress for his grandson.
100% organic, with ingredients like certified organic cotton, wool alpaca, and cashmere.
Carries GOTS and Made Safe certifications, plus EWG verification.
Choose from 3 different crib mattresses: Classic, Breathable, and Breathable Ultra.
The Breathable Ultra features 2-stage dual firmness. This provides a firmer side for infants and a medium-firm side for growing toddlers; you just flip it when your child grows.
This is the brand of mattress I choose to sleep on.
Carries GOTS and GOLS certifications.
Each mattress is handmade in Soaring Heart’s Seattle shop.
Made from organic dunlop latex, organic wool, and organic cotton.
Designed for a slatted crib.
Soaring Heart’s crib mattresses have passed all flame retardant laws using proprietary needle-punched wool.
Price: $499
Are Organic Crib Mattresses Worth It?
When it comes to prioritizing the upgrades involved in detoxing your home, we do feel that mattresses–especially those going in a nursery–belong at the top of the list. Even though you might spend a little extra money, getting one of the best organic crib mattresses is a durable investment that lasts. Our top pick is the Naturepedic crib mattress (any model), and you can take 15% site-wide with code GIMME15,
You can read much more about mattresses in our Safe Mattress Guide. We also recommend that every nursery has a robust air filter to keep the air as clean as possible. (This is our top pick.)
Here are three more affordable filters for keeping nursery air pristine:
Avocado – Best Organic Crib Mattress from a Big Brand
Boasts certifications from EWG, GOTS, GOLS, Greenguard, and Made Safe.
Tested for PFAS chemicals.
Crafted with certified organic cotton, wool, and latex.
Not Best Stuff because Avocado is a subsidiary of Brentwood Home, which manufactures conventional mattresses.
There was a lawsuit accusing Avocado of falsely advertising its latex as “natural 100% GOLS organic certified” after lab tests showed that Avocado latex contains a variety of chemicals. The suit was dismissed.
Premium Foam Crib & Toddler Mattress is made of 100% polyester material.
Has CertiPUR- US certificate. This means it bans using some chemicals like flame retardants and formaldehyde, but CertiPUR only covers the foam portion of a mattress.
Materials include polyester, viscose, polypropylene, and polyurethane foam.
Sneaky Stuff
Nook Pure Organic 2.0 Two-Stage Crib Mattress
Fail to show independent certification.
Claim to use wool as a flame retardant, but one of our readers had the foam tested in her Pebble Lite model and it tested positive for flame retardants!
In March of 2023, Nook was sued for false advertising when their crib mattresses were found to contain PFAS.
What About the Crib Itself?
We feel that the mattress is more important than the crib, but that’s not to say that the crib doesn’t matter! Here are some ways to ensure your crib is low tox:
If possible, look for cribs that are Greenguard Gold Certified, which means they meet strict standards for low chemical emissions.
Opt for cribs made from solid wood instead of composite or pressed woods, which can contain harmful chemicals. When composite wood is necessary, choose plywood over MDF or particle board, as it typically off-gasses less.
Wooden furniture is safer options if it is finished with a non-toxic oil like raw linseed oil.
If you buy a crib made from wood and are finishing it yourself, you can look for non-toxic water-based finishes like AFM Safe Coat DuroStain.
Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff!
